For dog owners around the world, dog shedding can be quite a hassle. The dog’s fur can end up everywhere if not appropriately groomed, adding to the workload in the house. If you’re planning to become a dog guardian, but you or someone in the household is prone to allergic reactions, getting a dog breed that is hypoallergenic and shed minimally if not at all is a good option. Here are a few dog breeds that don’t shed or shed minimally.
The Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu (pronounced as sheet-su) belongs to the Toy Group of dog breeds. Short and small in stature, a fully grown Shih Tzu can weigh around 9-16 pounds and somewhere between 9-10.5 inches in height.
Initially bred for medieval Chinese court royalty, the Shih Tzu is very affectionate to their owners and the perfect lap dog. The Shih Tzu does not shed and is hypoallergenic, but its long beautiful double fur coat can be high maintenance. There are very few dogs that can beat a well-groomed Shih Tzu in the looks department.
The Portuguese Water Dog
The Portuguese Water Dog belongs to the Working Group. Originally bred on the coast of Portugal to help fishers with their work. Fully grown, a male can reach heights between 20-23 inches and weigh 42-60 pounds while a female is 17-21 inches and 35-50 pounds, respectively.
The Portuguese Water Dog is very energetic and adventurous. They will need regular physical and mental exercise to avoid destructive behavior. They are also well known for their curly or wavy fur coats that are also waterproof, non-shedding, and hypoallergenic. You will need to regularly groom their fur coats to keep it clean and in top condition.
The Chinese Crested
The Chinese Crested is part of the Toy Group of dog breeds. They are one of the small dog breeds that don’t shed, fully grown the Chinese Crested can reach heights between 11-13 inches and weigh around 8-12 pounds.
The Chinese Crested comes in two variations, the Hairless and the Powderpuff, with the Powderpuff being covered in a smooth, silky coat. The hairless version comes with no odor and with no shedding, perfect for people with allergic reactions. The Chinese Crested is playful and loving to their owners, great for the family and kids.
The Scottish Terrier
The Scottish Terrier belongs to the Terrier Group. Nicknamed the “Diehard,” The Scottish Terrier is known to be ill-tempered around other dogs and aloof to strangers. They are intelligent, independent, and confident dogs.
The Scottish Terrier is built sturdily and short-legged, fully grown they can reach 10 inches in height and can weigh around 19-22 pounds for males and 18-21 pounds for females. They shed their hypoallergenic coats minimally and require regular grooming. The Scottish Terrier is an intelligent dog, be sure to vary your training methods to avoid getting them bored.
The Poodle
The Poodle comes in 3 size variations: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. The Standard and Miniature belong to the Non-Sport group of dog breeds, while Toy belongs to the Toy group. Standard Poodles are 15 inches tall or more; Miniatures are below 15 inches, and Toys are below 10 inches tall. Poodles are very intelligent, athletic, and easy to train, making them a versatile companion.
Poodles are very active dogs and thus will need regular exercise. Swimming is one of the Poodle’s favorite activities. Their fur coats are non-shedding, perfect for allergic people. However, their fur coats are very high maintenance; you can learn how to groom your Poodle or take them to professional dog groomers.
The Giant Schnauzer
The Giant Schnauzer is the bigger and more powerful version of the Standard Schnauzer. They belong to the Working Group and are one of the large dog breeds that don’t shed. Staying true to the name, these dogs can weigh around 60-85 pounds for males and 55-75 pounds for females and can reach 25.5-27.5 inches and 23.5-25.5 inches tall for males and females, respectively.
This breed worked as cattle herders and vigilant guard dogs for merchants and innkeepers in the past. They are alert, easy to train, and very loyal to their owners. Even though the Giant Schnauzer’s coat does not shed, it will need proper grooming every week to maintain a healthy-looking coat, so be sure to have a good quality dog brush in hand.
The Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier is part of the Toy group, measuring 7-8 inches tall and weighs 7 pounds. They may be small, but the Yorkshire Terrier can be very feisty, brave, and bossy, but they can show affection to their owners and are willing to please.
The Yorkshire Terrier’s fur coat is quite similar to human hair. Their fur coat is hypoallergenic and will shed minimally. Just like human hair, their hair needs to be brushed daily if kept long. The hair on the upper part of the head needs to be trimmed down or styled into a topknot to avoid eye irritations.
The Bouvier des Flandres
Part of the Herding Group, the Bouvier des Flandres, also known as Vuilbaard (dirty beard), is a big dog weighing around 70-110 pounds and measuring 24.5-27.5 inches tall for males and 23.5-26.5 inches tall for females. The Bouvier des Flandres is brilliant and it has a strong work ethic.
They make great pets and watchdogs for the family and can also be excellent farm dogs just like their ancestors before them. The Bouvier des Flandres’ coat is hypoallergenic and shed minimally. It will need proper brushing and grooming twice a week.
Final Word
There are many more dog breeds out there that don’t shed or shed minimally that isn’t listed here but be advised that there are no 100% hypoallergenic dogs that exist, yet. The dog breeds listed in this article will hopefully help those aspiring dog owners and lovers who have allergic reactions find a loyal and loving companion they can live with peacefully.